Pengaruh Penambahan Bentonit Termodifikasi Sebagai Pengisi Terhadap Sifat Mekanik dan Penyerapan Air Pada Komposit Epoksi

Abstract

This research has carried out the manufacture of epoxy-modified bentonite composite. Research about the usage of modified bentonite as filler in epoxy has been done for the purpose of getting the best composition of modified bentonite as filler at epoxy composite in getting the best of the mechanical properties such as tensile strength, impact strength and the water absorption. In this research, epoxy resin mixed with bentonite which have been modified using Cetyltrimethylammonium Bromide (CTAB) surfactant with various concentrations by 0,05, 0,1, and 0,15M and added Titanium Dioxide (TiO2) at the modification of bentonite as filler. In this research, epoxy resin was mixed with modified bentonite with the filler composition by 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% of the weight of the composite with hand lay-up method. From the FTIR characterization result obtained that the bond between matrix and the filler produced only interfacial bonding between the matrix and the filler. Result of testing the mechanical properties indicate that, on the composition of the filler 5% with 0,1M of surfactant concentration obtained the maximum value of tensile strength with 33,667 MPa and maximum value of impact strength with 12564,9 J/m2 . The results of mechanical properties tests was further supported by analysis of Scaning Electron Microscopy (SEM). On the test of water absorption, the water absorption capacity increased along with the increased of filler composition.